Entergy Corporation (ETR) vs The Southern Company (SO)
SO leads on 13 of 15 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Entergy Corporation and The Southern Company across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of July 9, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
Total return — ETR vs SO
growth of $100 · last 30yETR +759.1%SO +576.8%ETR compounded faster
ETR SO
ETR vs SO: by the numbers
- •SO is the larger company ($107.29B vs $52.17B market cap).
- •SO trades at the lower earnings multiple (24.65 vs 29.17 P/E).
- •SO converts more revenue to profit (14.46% vs 13.56% net margin).
- •SO grew revenue faster over the past five years (7.25% vs 4.76% CAGR).
- •SO pays the higher dividend yield (3.15% vs 2.24%).
Which is better, ETR or SO?
Metric tally: ETR 2 · SO 13It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueSO(lower P/E)
GrowthSO(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeSO(higher dividend yield)
QualitySO(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | ETR | SO |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 29.17 | 24.65● |
| Forward P/E | 25.98 | 21.06● |
| P/S ratio | 3.98 | 3.60● |
| P/B ratio | 3.05 | 2.93● |
| PEG ratio | 0.38● | 4.14 |
| EV / EBITDA | 15.29 | 13.77● |
Profitability
| Metric | ETR | SO |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 29.91% | 29.81% |
| Operating margin | 22.57% | 24.15%● |
| Net margin | 13.56% | 14.46%● |
| ROE | 10.39% | 11.75%● |
| ROIC | 3.55% | 4.36%● |
Dividends
| Metric | ETR | SO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 2.24% | 3.15%● |
| Payout ratio | 64.32% | 77.16% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | ETR | SO |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 4.76% | 7.25%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 2.78% | 5.96%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | -28.10% | -14.36%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 21.70%● | 13.48% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, ETR or SO?
- It depends on your goal. value: SO (lower P/E); growth: SO (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: SO (higher dividend yield); quality: SO (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, SO leads 13 to 2.
- Is ETR or SO cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, SO is cheaper: ETR trades at a 29.17 P/E and SO at 24.65.
- Which has grown faster, ETR or SO?
- Over the past five years, SO grew revenue faster — ETR at a 4.76% CAGR versus SO at 7.25%.
- Does ETR or SO pay a bigger dividend?
- ETR yields 2.24% and SO yields 3.15% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is ETR or SO more profitable?
- SO runs the higher net margin — ETR at 13.56% versus SO at 14.46%.
- Which has been the better investment, ETR or SO?
- Over the past 10-year, ETR delivered the higher annualized total return — ETR at 15.25% versus SO at 10.40%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Entergy P/E ratioSouthern P/E ratioEntergy dividend yieldSouthern dividend yieldEntergy ROESouthern ROEEntergy operating marginSouthern operating marginEntergy revenue growthSouthern revenue growthEntergy free cash flowSouthern free cash flow
Entergy & Southern appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified July 9, 2026.